The suit was dismissed by Rev. Crouse when it became apparent in depositions that Mechanics Hall, acting as his agent and fearing that the agreed upon number of police officers would not be sufficient to protect event attendees, actually requested additional paid-duty police officers above and beyond the number recommended by and agreed-to by Rev. Crouse and Mechanics Hall for the event to further ensure the safety of event attendees.

Earlier in his statement, the City Solicitor engages in fantasy:

Attendance at both the event and the protests was far less than expected due for the most part because February 18, 2006 turned out to be one of the coldest days of the winter.

Mr. Hetero—one year later

posted by Mike on February 18th, 2007

Yesterday I staggered into the Bean Counter, ordered a coffee, and found that I’d left my money at home. A kind stranger paid my bill. So in the interests of “paying it forward,” I’ll try to emulate that generosity of spirit while recalling the fiasco of one year ago today, the Mr. Heterosexual Massachusetts competition.Read the rest of this entry »

Items

Institutional Linens: has been demolished. It took only a few days.
The yellow house at left is on the corner of Mason Street and Mason Court, in Worcester. My house is the white house just left of the yellow house.Read the rest of this entry »

Mr. Hetero post-mortem

posted by Mike on February 19th, 2006

The “Mr. Heterosexual” contest was pretty much of a washout. I feel bad for the organizers.

In an article in the Telegram & Gazette, Milton Valencia wrote that “An estimated 175 to 200 people attended the event.” According to Worcester Magazine, the hall seats 1500. The street outside was closed off and full of police; earlier in the week, it was estimated that the organizers might have to pay $6500 for police protection alone.

Mr. Valencia described the event as “more like a church service than a pageant.” I didn’t think it was like a church service; I thought it was exactly like at scout camp when the adult leaders get up at campfire and do a skit, awkward and half-assed. Nothing wrong with that, but they don’t charge $12 for it and hold it at Mechanics Hall.

I strongly suspect I would have had a better time standing out in the cold with the demonstrators.

There were very few references to human sexuality in “Mr. Hetero”–the “War on Christmas” was referenced more times than sex. There was a bit of preaching before the intermission, but this felt tacked on, and organizer Tom Crouse never did go into his theory or opinions of homosexuality in any detail.

There was no opportunity for me to enter the contest; seven men had been selected to compete in advance. The winner’s name wasn’t mentioned in the newspaper or TV coverage I saw, and it was not clear if the planned $100 prize was awarded. The guy did get a trophy. (Update: The Boston Weekly Dig gave Jimmy Ottino his due.)

The only part that didn’t disappoint was the “man who has renounced his own homosexuality.” I had hoped for some bizarreness here, and I got it. Turns out the guy felt ambivalent about women at age 14, decided he was gay and had sex with two guys at age 15, and at age 16 had a conversion experience and started liking girls. It’s possible that this man was delivered from homosexuality, but the simple and obvious explanation is that the guy was never gay to begin with, just confused for part of his teen years like so many other men.

Let us now praise “Mr. Hetero”

posted by Mike on February 15th, 2006

Why am I thinking of buying a ticket to the Mr. Hetero competition? Because, as today’s paper put it, “Rev. Crouse will introduce a man who has renounced his own homosexuality,” and that totally reminds me of the time L. Ron Hubbard introduced the first person cured of mental hangups by Scientology, live on stage, in 1950.

“Mr. Hetero” anti-Catholic?

posted by Mike on January 25th, 2006

Central Massachusetts’s own Elmer Gantry, the suspiciously well-groomed Tom Crouse of Engaging Your World Productions, is holding an it-would-be-offensive-if-it-weren’t-so-lame event in Worcester next month called “Mr. Hetero.” You’d think conservative Catholics would be a core part of the audience–not no more. Today in his blog, he calls for the arrest of the pope, then writes:

“There is no other organization, in my opinion, this side of NAMBLA that has done more to promote and enable the rape of kids than the Roman Catholic Church.”

Pro-gay groups are encouraging local institutions to boycott prestigious Mechanics Hall, which is hosting the event. Now Crouse is working to annoy the largest religious group in the state. Who will he alienate next? Patriots fans? Candlepin bowlers?